Meet our Staff

 
               Patrick Merrill                                         Blake Moore
             Vessel Programs Manager                  Vessel Staff Manager
                                                                                      
 
MEET OUR STAFF

Pacific Whale Foundation is proud to introduce you to the Certified Marine Naturalists, Biologists and U.S. Coast Guard certified Captains who staff our vessels. Our staff are known for their enthusiastic commitment to ensuring you have a safe, enjoyable, fun and educational ocean cruise with us.


 

Ashleigh Loth, Team Leader, Ocean Discovery
Hometown: Woodland, CA
Education: BS Marine Science from UC Santa Cruz
Interests: Marine Life, photography, diving, surfing, kayaking, family 

 

Amber Iverson, Purser
Hometown: Maui and Pittsburgh
Education: BA Elementary Education
Qualification: Able Bodied Seaman License
Interests: Diving, Hiking, Scrapbooking, reading, and time with Madison and Gunnar

 

Casey Cohan, Master Captain, Ocean Odyssey
Hometown: Queens, NY
Education: B.S. Marine Biology
Qualifications: USCG 100-ton Master
Interest: Surfing, Family Time, and the NY Mets

 

 

Tiffany Sih, Naturalist, Ocean Odyssey
Education: BS Physical Sciences and Biology, USC,
Qualifications: 100-ton USCG Master, SCUBA Instructor
Interests: Sustainable fisheries, Apex predators
Hobbies: SCUBA, surfing, hiking, traveling
 
 


Jessica Beneteau, Lead Naturalist, Ocean Quest
Hometown: Ontario, Canada
Education: BS Marine Biology
Interests: Photography, Paddling, Stand-Up Paddling, Diving, Surfing, Music, Ocean conservation


Hollis Turner, Naturalist, Ocean Odyssey
Hometown: Chico, CA
Education: BA Architectural Design, USAF Honorable Discharge
Interests: Conservation, Sustainable Design, Playing Music, Surfing, Stand-up Paddling, Sports Photography

Mark Corcoran
Naturalist, Ocean Voyager
Hometown: New Plymouth, New Zealand
Education: MS Marine Biology
Qualifications: Master of Yachts 200-ton
Interests: Freediving, underwater videography, photography, triathalons, barefoot running, the All Blacks, sustainable living   
 

Jess Rickard, Naturalist, Ocean Voyager
Hometown: Cherry Tree, PA
Education: Saint Francis University, BS Biology/Marine Biology
Interests: SCUBA, Freediving, Photography, Painting, travel


Anna Lieding, Lead Naturalist, Ocean Odyssey
Hometown: Hana, Maui, Hawaii
Education: B.S. Marine Biology, Brown University
Interests: Spear fishing, Research


Brock Munson, Captain, Ocean Spirit
Hometown: San Juan Capistro, Ca
Education: BFA Visual Communication
Interests: Outdoors, art, music, movies and traveling

 
Josh Wittmer, Lead Naturalist, Ocean Odyssey
Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA
Education: BS Environmental Science, Allegheny College
Experience: Duke Marine Lab, Bermuda Biological Station for Research, Bermuda Aquarium collections and quarantine, Americorps Watershed Stewards Project, SeaCamp/NHMI Big Pine Key, FL, REEF Key Largo, FL, Maui Ocean Center curatorial department diver, Hawaii DLNR research diver.
Interests: Diving, Underwater Photography, Rebreathers, Hiking, Education, Conservation, Relaxation, Research, Travel, Fishing, Surfing, Cephalopods, and Fish.
 
 
Name: Christy Kozama, Lead Naturalist, Ocean Quest
Hometown: Asheville, NC
Education: BS Marine Biology, College of Charleston, SC
Experience: Sea World San Diego, US Navy Marine Mammal Training Program,
Bottlenose Dolphin Research Institute, and various other aquarist and research internships/volunteer programs
Interests: surfing, hiking, diving, snowboarding, cooking, travel, and exploring Maui
 
 
 
Amy Rudometkin - Naturalist, Ocean Odyssey
Hometown: Orcas Island, WA

Education: Central Missouri State University - Fine Arts, Business

Experience: Hiked the Appalachain Train (2001), Kayak guide and Naturalist - San Juan Islands, WA and the Channel Islands, CA.  Volunteer on various whale watching/wildlife tours in WA and CA. (2003-2009)
Interests: Conservation, Education, All things outdoors, Preventative Medicine, Art, Gardening, Hawaiian Culture,  and Happiness
 
 
 
 
Morgan M. Smith- Naturalist, Ocean Odyssey
Hometown: Boulder, CO
Education: Master of Science- Florida Atlantic University; B.A. Biology - University of Colorado at Boulder
Experience:  Extensive fieldwork in Colorado, Florida and Costa Rica on birds, bugs and turtles; Hawksbill Turtle monitoring project - Big Island, HI; Science Instructor - SeaCamp-Florida Keys; Teaching Assistant - Florida Atlantic University and Harbor Branch; Masters Thesis research on sea turtles in S. Florida; Various Volunteer projects at animal sancturaries and rehabilitation centers; Primate Zoo Keeper - Palm Beach Zoo.
Interests:  Animals and the Ocean, SCUBA, snorkeling, kayaking, hiking, camping, relaxing, talking, learning, funny movies, good food, great friends.
 
 
Annie Hillier- Naturalist, Ocean Discovery
Hometown: Bainbridge, WA
Education: B.A. Colorado College
Experience: Lived in Bonaire, N.A., working as a marine ecology student and conservation student researcher
Interests: running, reading, ostracod mating
Walking the talk: buying local to reduce my environmental footprint
 
Erika Hamilton- Naturalist, Ocean Voyager
Hometown: Columbia, SC
Education: B.A. Colorado College
Spent a semester doing Marine Biology reserach in the Seychelles Islands, worked at Marine Park in Honduras, Study Coral Reef Ecology in Belize
Interests: SCUBA, Hiking, Baking, Vintage Clothing and Jewelry, Volunteering, Dauchands
Walking the Talk: Eating Organic, taking the bus, carpooling, buying green products, energy conservation, recycling
 
 
Johanna (Joey) Valente- Naturalist, Ocean Odyssey
Hometown: Peoria, IL
Education: B.S. Wheaton College Biology and Chemistry
Worked in Bahamas as part of research team, repelling off cliffs and doing population studies on chitons. Environmental Education Volunteer with the Peace Corps in Senegal.
Interests: Gardening, swimming, diving, hiking, rock climbing, playing "discovery" in tide pools
Walking the Talk: Finding ways to make a healthier and less noticiable impact on the planet. This could be as simple as taking a walk instead of driving or as adventurous as setting up a neighborhood compost pit for the community garden. 
 
Dav Yuan- Naturalist, Ocean Spirit
Hometown: Wez, Belgium
  Education: B.A. St Mary's College of Maryland in Ecology and Environmental Studies 
Research thesis on Tropical MOckingbirds in Belize. Research for Cornell University on Tropical Orioles in Mexico. Three years teaching high school marine biology, geology, meteorology, astronomy, and general biology in Annapolis. Two years as a rock climbing guide/coach/instructor.
Interests: Photography, rock climbing, guitar, learning, change
Walking the talk: Childhood passion for animals has developed into a personal commitment to our natural world. Always eager to be at the forefront of conservation biology. Now on a mission to change the world for better through science and education. However small the change is...every little bit counts. 
 
 
Tally Teal- Naturalist, Ocean Spirit
Hometown: Juneau, Alaska
Education: BA Biology, Whitman College, Walla Walla, WA
Interests: the ocean, learning, traveling, baking, foreign languages, reading, playing
Walking the Talk: the three r's, volunteering, research